Portable Tor/Vidalia/Privoxy

[Silivrenion]

Working directory is established by where the launcher, or parent, is started from. If the batch file is started outside of the PortableTor directory, then all paths must be from the launcher. You can change this by daisy chaining batch files though, or creating partitioned and labeled batch files.

[M@tty]

Hmm... will this cause PortableTor to be inable to be launched by itself (i.e. just opening the executable, not going via the PortableApps menu)?

[Silivrenion]

New version of portabletor, addresses lots of new problems. http://portabletor.sf.net

Check out the new filesize too. 12.1MB total.

Cheers,
Silivrenion

[Simon.T]

O.M.G! Silivrenion!! Thank you!!
It's only 12mb (for some reason I remember that it was only 7 or 8mb... maybe it's happening after activating it once... settings? maybe??)

The last one, I had, was 21mb or 23mb

WOW WOW WOW

CHEERS!

btw, I'm not using Tor much, but this is will always be in my usb (or machine) when I'll need to save some space << now it is definitely worth the "Installation"! << at least for me

[Silivrenion]

The size has actually been misadvertised on this site for a few versions now. Since I came upon file reduction techniques, I was able to compress the original Tor installation quite a bit smaller than the original.

There's good updates in this version, like a redone file structure, compatible with the PortableApps Format. I'm working on an intelligent launcher, but how it will be different and better is a secret!

PortableTor is the popular package, due to popularity from google, sourceforge, and supporters, but I want to give people's ideas a chance. If people know of ways to improve PortableTor, please feel free to let me know, and credit will be given in the credit log permanently for that contribution!

Keep on surfing,

Silivrenion

[zikarus]

Thx a lot silivrenion!

Just a minor proposal for an improvement:

Please include the new Vidalia ...15!

[M@tty]

Hey Steve, looks good (kudos to the file reductions) but a few constructive criticisms for you to investigate perhaps:

• PortableTor does not actually follow the PortableApps Format (PAF) directory structure properly. Refer to John Haller's post @ http://portableapps.com/node/3883. There should be an App/Data split, not a PortableTor -> App/Data split.
• Because of the above point I just made, PortableApps Menu users are not able to backup their PortableTor configuration files using the inbuilt PAM backup facility. If they wish to, they must copy the Data folder to a location and zip it themselves.
• When integrating PortableTor into the PortableApps Menu, it displays "1.0.0.1" and the icon. Perhaps it should display "PortableTor 1.0.0.1"?
• The default configuration files are not recreated. John Haller has stated this is a must, for user protection etc. Deleting the "Data" folder in PortableTor causes it to crash quite unattractively (ugly error messages coming from Privoxy).
• There is still a tor folder left in the user's %AppData% folder. I doubt this is a problem of your launcher, but Tor itself, but it is not handled by the launcher - thus making PortableTor in itself not stealth.
• For support with the forthcoming revised PAF standards, AppInfo files must be in the App directory. You can download for example Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition and just edit the appinfo.ini as required.
• The Tor Log file (In Vidalia open the Message Log) is not saved with a relative file location, so when changing drive letter this could be messed up.
• Your ExeScript source file uses an absolute link to the icon file and launcher, so when others try to compile your program they have to manually edit the lines:
  • @rem Icon: C:\Users\Owner\Documents\PortableTor Working Folder\PortableTor\src\icon.ico
  • @rem OutputFile: C:\Users\Owner\Documents\PortableTor Working Folder\launcher.exe
• Like zikarus mentioned, perhaps upgrade Vidalia to 0.0.15.
• Perhaps you should merge the "src" folder into the "Docs" folder, and rename it to "Other"? This is how John Haller does it. This is just aesthetics though.

I hope this was a useful post. Not intended as bashing it as apart from these points, the program works great and is a definite improvement on previous builds. There will be a new version of Torvox along in a few hours addressing most of these points, and as ever it will include source, so if you need any help implementing these features (or if you want to merge our code under the title PortableTor - as suggested by another forum user) feel free to message me.

Regards, Matt

[Silivrenion]

Honestly, thats one of the most useful criticisms I've ever received. I'm amazed, and I thank you for that information very much. Answers a lot of questions that I had with things.

I was aware of a few of those problems, like the regenerative ability, however i just thought of making the directory structure first and ease into it.

Again, thanks! Expect a new revision release within a few days.

[Silivrenion]

Oh wait, I just read the merge thing. I was thinking that it's kind of absurd to have several different packages that do the same thing, and I was interested in kind of merging together. I'm definitely up for that, if you want. I'll add you as a dev on the sourceforge page, and we can work together on releases?

[M@tty]

^ Above point taken to private messages. Other forum members please feel free to use this thread to discuss PortableTor again.

[zikarus]

Allow 5cent ot anyways: merging seems to be a good idea from a users - or at least my - point of view

[Silivrenion]

http://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=1088

PortableTor and Torvox have merged code, thanks to Matt Morton for his ingenious way to use NSIS to launch the program more efficiently.

The directory structure is now cleaner, and the overall filesize is quite a bit smaller. In addition, some elements of the program will automatically regenerate themselves if they accidentally get deleted.

On the Tor side of things, Tor 0.1.2.19 fixes a huge memory leak on exit relays, makes the default
exit policy a little bit more conservative so it's safer to run an exit
relay on a home system, and fixes a variety of smaller issues.

[Silivrenion]

Wasn't thinking, get the latest copy at http://portabletor.sf.net

[alxgudo]

Wasn't thinking

why not Privoxy 3.0.8 (stable)?

[M@tty]

I apologise, didn't know there was an updated Privoxy. It will be updated and reflected in the next release.